Assisting Hands provides professional in-home care in Cincinnati, allowing our clients to remain safely and comfortably in their own homes.
Why Does Your Family Need In Home Care Services?
Is it becoming more difficult for Dad to take proper care of his yard or bend over to take the laundry out of the dryer? Does it seem like too much effort some days for him to cook or take care of basic housework? Does he bathe less often because he’s worried about slipping and falling in the shower when alone?
Maybe Mom has experienced a small stroke. She’s about to be discharged from the hospital and wants to return home. But she needs speech therapy, physical therapy, and help with eating and transferring from bed to chair. She shouldn’t be alone for the first few weeks
.Or perhaps your mom or dad recently passed and you’re worried about the long, lonely days for your remaining parent who lives far away from you. Companionship is so important, but when people sink into grief or depression, they often don’t seek out others the way they should.
These are familiar scenarios thousands of American families face every day. If you’re unfamiliar with elder care options and how to help an aging loved one, chances are you’ll learn more in the future! Today, 40 percent of Americans are already involved to some degree in the care of an elderly person. And when older adults prefer to stay in their own homes rather than move to a nursing home or other senior living facility, home care can be a real lifesaver for family caregivers and their elderly loved ones.
Types of In Home Care Services Available in Cincinnati
Certified Home Health Aides/Certified Nursing Aides (HHAs, CNAs or NACs) are health aides who have received more specialized training. The training requirement varies from state to state. In addition to personal care, CNAs can perform simple medical procedures such as taking temperatures, changing dressings, and in some states can administer medications under a nurse’s oversight.
Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) provide skilled medical services beyond those that home health aides offer. Nurses can conduct an assessment to determine the care needed and monitor the client’s condition. They perform hands-on procedures such as changing wound dressings, inserting catheters and IV lines, and giving injections. While Assisting Hands serving Cincinnati doesn’t offer medical services, our RNs and LPNs oversee our caregivers in the field.
Social Workers offer assessments, advice, and counseling to boost the mental health of family caregivers and their loved ones. Assisting Hands serving Cincinnati has social workers on staff who support our caregivers, families, and clients.
Rehabilitation Services provide care in the home to maximize the client’s quality of life, independence, and safety and restore him or her to the highest level of function possible.
Durable medical equipment companies provide home care equipment that will be used over an extended time, such as oxygen delivery systems, wheelchairs, walkers, and hospital beds. They can also furnish wound care dressings, incontinence aids, and other products and supplies like grab bars, showerheads, and shower chairs to ensure safety in the home.
Finding the Right In Home Care Services in Cincinnati
The first step is to assess your loved one’s needs. Make a realistic list of home and personal care tasks your loved one needs help with. Work with your loved one’s healthcare provider to get an accurate picture of your loved one’s medical requirements.
The second step is to locate the right home care provider. A reputable home care agency like Assisting Hands serving Cincinnati is the safest choice—both for your loved one’s wellbeing and your own peace of mind.
Some families have gone through the informal network or “gray market,” hiring a home care helper through a classified ad, Craigslist, a nurse registry, or through word of mouth. But before you go this route, ask yourself whether you really want to become the caregiver’s employer, with all the risks and responsibilities the role entails. Think about these factors:
You would be responsible for withholding and reporting income taxes and paying social security taxes. This can be very complicated and could also leave you open to having to pay back taxes and penalties.
If the caregiver were to be injured while working, you could end up paying the medical bills. The caregiver could file a workers’ compensation claim or even file a lawsuit against you or your family.
It would be up to you to check certificates, licenses, references, and criminal background and protect against elder abuse and financial exploitation.
You would be responsible for determining whether the care provider knows how to safely care for your loved one. For example, if your family member needs to be transferred from a wheelchair, you would need to be sure the care provider knows how to do this safely.
You cannot try to hire someone on a seven-day-per-week basis. No employee can be a good employee for long without having time for personal needs and interests. This means you would need to plan for days off, vacation time, and other times when the caregiver cannot be available.
If problems arise, you would be on your own in working things out as an employer. This includes discipline and termination.
Given the burden of finding, hiring, training, and functioning as an employer, going to an agency instead provides numerous advantages. An experienced caregiver arrives pre-screened, trained, and under the supervision of the agency. You don’t have to worry about tax withholding or liability. If the caregiver doesn’t arrive, it’s the agency’s responsibility to provide a backup.
Hiring qualified, reputable in-home care in Cincinnati can help you meet your family’s needs and greatly extend the ability of seniors to live safely and comfortably. At Assisting Hands serving Cincinnati we want to enable your loved one to continue to live wherever he or she is most comfortable and avoid a disruptive move for as long as possible. With home care assistance, many seniors can stay in the home they’ve loved for so many years. Contact one of our Home Care Cincinnati’s professional today and learn how we can help.